# US 10,480,062 B2 · Sputtering apparatus and sputtering method using the same

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- Number: US 10,480,062 B2
- Document ID: US10480062B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/395,274
- Filed: 2016-12-30
- Published: 2017-11-30
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-25
- Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Seungho Choi; Haeyoung Yoo; Kanghee Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480062B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/352: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)}
- H01F 7/0273: {Magnetic circuits with PM for magnetic field generation}
- H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder}
- H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering}
- H01J 37/3414: {Targets}
- H01J 37/3438: {Electrodes other than cathode}
- H01J 37/3452: {Magnet distribution}
- H01J 37/3464: {Operating strategies}
- H01J 37/3476: {Testing and control}
- H01F 7/20: without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381})
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A sputtering apparatus includes a substrate holder, a first counterpart target area, a second counterpart target area, and a power supply. The first counterpart target area includes a first target and at least one first magnetic part and operates to form a magnetic field in a first plasma area adjacent to the first target. The second counterpart target area includes a second target and at least one second magnetic part and operates to form a magnetic field in a second plasma area adjacent to the second target. The power supply supplies a first power voltage to the first and second targets. A control anode faces the substrate holder in a second direction, with the first and second plasma areas therebetween, and receives a control voltage greater than the first power voltage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sputtering apparatus, comprising:
a substrate holder;
a first counterpart target area, including a first target and at least one first magnetic part, to form a magnetic field in a first plasma area adjacent to the first target;
a second counterpart target area, including a second target and at least one second magnetic part, to form a magnetic field in a second plasma area adjacent to the second target, the second counterpart target area spaced from the first counterpart target area in a first direction, with the first and second plasma areas therebetween;
a power supply to supply a first power voltage to the first and second targets; and
a control anode to face the substrate holder in a second direction crossing the first direction, with the first and second plasma areas therebetween, and to receive a control voltage greater than the first power voltage;
a control magnetic part to face the substrate holder in the second direction, with the first and second plasma areas therebetween, wherein:
a first pole of the control magnetic part and a second pole of the control magnetic part having a polarity different from the first pole are sequentially arranged in the first direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply is to alternately supply the first power voltage and a second power voltage to the first and second targets.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
the first and second power voltages are to be synchronized with a power supply period defined periodically,
the first power voltage is to be applied to the first target and the second power voltage is to be applied to the second target during a first period of the power supply period, and
the first power voltage is to be applied to the second target and the second power voltage is to be applied to the first target during a second period of the power supply period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second power voltage is less than the first power voltage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the control anode is between the first plasma area and the control magnetic part and between the second plasma area and the control magnetic part.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of first magnetic parts; and
a plurality of second magnetic parts, wherein:
a second pole of a first edge magnetic part most adjacent to the control magnetic part among the first magnetic parts is closer to the first pole of the control magnetic part than a first pole of the first edge magnetic part; and
a first pole of a second edge magnetic part most adjacent to the control magnetic part among the second magnetic parts is closer to the second pole of the control magnetic part than a second pole of the second edge magnetic part.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein magnetic poles of the first and second magnetic parts, which face to each other, have opposite polarities.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control anode covers a top surface and side surfaces of the control magnetic part between the first plasma area and the control magnetic part and between the second plasma area and the control magnetic part, the top surface of the control magnetic part being a surface that faces the substrate holder, and
the control anode does not cover a bottom surface of the control magnetic part, the bottom surface of the control magnetic part being a surface that faces away from the substrate holder.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a yoke between the control magnetic part and the first plasma area,
wherein the yoke is between the control magnetic part and the second plasma area and includes a magnetic field shielding material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the following condition is satisfied:
θE<θM,
wherein the θE is an erosion angle of the magnetic field generated by the first magnetic part and the θM is a reference angle defined as an angle formed by a virtual line connected to the control anode from the first magnetic part and a normal line perpendicular to the first magnetic holder substrates.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control anode is spaced from the first and second counterpart target areas in the first direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the first counterpart target area includes a first magnetic holder substrate and a first rotator to rotate the first magnetic holder substrate,
the second counterpart target area includes a second magnetic holder substrate and a second rotator to rotate the second magnetic holder substrate, and
the at least one first magnetic part and at least one second magnetic part are on the first and second magnetic holder substrates, respectively.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein:
the first and second counterpart target areas respectively include first and second target holders having side surfaces parallel to a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and
the first and second targets are respectively provided to side surfaces of the first and second target holders.

### Claim 14

A sputtering deposition method using a sputtering apparatus, which includes a first magnetic part to form a magnetic field in a first plasma area adjacent to a first target and a second magnetic part spaced from the first plasma area in a first direction and to form a magnetic field in a second plasma area adjacent to a second target, the method comprising:
providing a substrate to a substrate holder;
applying power to the first and second targets to form a plasma in the first and second plasma areas;
applying a control voltage which is greater than a first power voltage to a control anode facing the substrate holder in a second direction crossing the first direction, with the first and second plasma areas therebetween, the first power voltage of a power supply being lower than a preset first target voltage and a first power current of the power supply being greater than a preset first target current;
sputtering the first and second targets using the plasma such that target materials of the first and second targets are deposited on the substrate, and
rotating at least one of first or second magnetic holder substrates, wherein:
the first and second magnetic parts are on the first and second magnetic holder substrates, respectively, and
the first magnetic holder substrate rotates the first magnetic part to satisfy the condition of θE<θM; wherein the θE is an erosion angle of the magnetic field generated by the first magnetic part, and the θM is a reference angle defined as an angle formed by a virtual line connected to the control anode from the first magnetic part and a normal line perpendicular to the first magnetic holder substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein applying the power supply includes sequentially and alternately providing, to the first and second targets, the first power voltage and a second power voltage lower than the first power voltage.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein in applying the control voltage:
the second power voltage is less than a preset second target voltage, and
a second power current of the power is less than a preset second target current.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein:
the first and second power voltages are supplied in synchronization with a power supply period which is periodically defined;
during a first period of the power supply period, the first power voltage is applied to the first target and the second power voltage is applied to the second target; and
during a second period of the power supply period, the first power voltage is applied to the second target and the second power voltage is applied to the first target.